South African parliament to debate motion to impeach Zuma

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa's parliament plans to debate an opposition motion to impeach President Jacob Zuma who, according to the country's highest court, breached the constitution in a scandal over millions of dollars in state spending on his private home.

The biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, called for Zuma's impeachment after the Constitutional Court ruling last week and will present its arguments on Tuesday.

Parliament requires a two-thirds majority to impeach. The ruling African National Congress, which has supported Zuma, has a comfortable majority and earlier defeated a no-confidence motion against him.

The court said Zuma should have abided by a state watchdog agency's recommendations that he pay back some money for millions of dollars worth of upgrades at his private Nkandla residence. Zuma has said he will do so.